The technology behind ChatGPT, a widely-discussed AI system, is being incorporated into Microsoft 365, the world's most prevalent work software. Microsoft has named this new feature "Copilot" and plans to embed it into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Microsoft Introduces Copilot
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella believes this integration will "fundamentally change the way we work." However, the company admits that Copilot may occasionally make mistakes.
Copilot Functions
Some of the key features of Copilot include:
- Summarizing key discussion points from Teams meetings and providing recaps for those who join late or miss the event entirely
- Creating PowerPoint presentations, complete with images, from prompts
- Drafting emails
- Analyzing lengthy email threads and documents
- Generating summaries and graphs from Excel spreadsheet data
The Power of ChatGPT
ChatGPT has gained global attention for its ability to provide human-like responses to questions, even highly complex or abstract ones. However, these responses can sometimes be inaccurate or entirely fabricated.
While the technology used in Office365 is not a direct implementation of ChatGPT, it is based on the same language-learning model. Microsoft acknowledges that Copilot may sometimes be "usefully wrong."
In a statement, Microsoft said, "We all want to focus on the 20% of our work that really matters, but 80% of our time is consumed with busy work that bogs us down. Copilot lightens the load."
Roll-out details have not been disclosed yet.
AI Chatbot Competition
ChatGPT is a major contender in the global AI chatbot race. Google has launched a rival called Bard, while Meta has developed Blenderbot. In China, tech giant Baidu has released an advanced version of its chatbot Ernie, also known as Wenxin Yiyan.
Impact on the World of Work
This integration marks a significant milestone for generational AI and, more importantly, for the world of work. Integrating ChatGPT's capabilities into widely-used applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will directly impact the daily lives of millions of workers.
While people have used ChatGPT for various professional tasks, incorporating Copilot into Office365 could be a game-changer. Imagine having a chatbot summarize long reports or attend meetings on your behalf. This technology has the potential to free up time for other tasks, but it also raises questions about the future of work as AI continues to advance.
Technomancer is a science and tech enthusiast who enjoys writing about software and AI and other tech topics.
